1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to text format control. More specifically, this invention relates to automatically controlling the format of printed text upon playout thereof from a buffer loaded from segmented media.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When tape printing systems are considered, there are a number of ways of handling the storing of format information and the later control of format upon playout. One is by storing the format information in a log at the beginning of the tape. Since one recording medium is involved, the log can be accessed and updated, and format can be readily controlled from one page of a job to another. When segmented media, such as magnetic cards, are considered, the use of a format store becomes very important. There are a number of reasons for this. One has to do with human factors in terms of the operator not having to re-key format information at the beginning of each card. Another has to do with accessing where text prior to the last format information is to be retrieved for editing purposes. In this light, consider for example the IBM Mag Card II. Upon power "on", tabs are automatically set every 5 units and a six inch measure is automatically set. These settings are set in a volatile electronic tab rack (random access memory). These settings can be changed by the operator for a particular job. An operator can also store a different format later in the job, including stop codes for tabs and the right margin, for later recording on a magnetic card. Here, the operator must mentally or physically note the location of the right margin setting. Utilizing this routine for changing the format later in the job, a stop code is first stored, the carrier is caused to escape to each desired tab and the right margin, and a stop code is stored for each. The stored information is then recorded on a card. Upon later playout or printout from the card, the reading of the first stop code will cause the printer to stop. The operator procedure is to then depress the gang clear button for clearing all set tabs, cause carrier escapement which will continue until a stop code is read, depress the tab set button for each tab when the carrier stops, recall which stop code is representative of the right margin, and key a coded paragraph advance. The operator must also manually reverse index the platen to reposition the paper, since the coded paragraph causes an extraneous index. With this invention, these human factor and accessing problems are overcome. Now, there is a storing, during input keying, of format information and following text in a text buffer. Upon later recording of the text on a magnetic card, the last input format information is transferred to a format buffer. In order not to affect later pagination changes, the format information in effect at the beginning of each page, except the changes, is not recorded on the cards associated therewith.